Buying Furniture

by Shirley Holden
HomeOwnerNet Columnist

This month’s article will be on home furniture and furnishings. I hope this will give you a strong sense of where you are headed in terms of shopping for and selecting furniture for your home. You have decided that it is time to replace the furniture in your home. Next step is where do I start? What are the trends? What will I be happy with? What should I look for in terms of style, finish, quality and price? These are very basic question that you will ask yourself as you begin to shop for new furniture and furnishings for your home.

First you will want to start a folder of furniture pieces that appeal to you the most. Once started, look for consistencies in the pieces you’ve selected such as size, style, color and texture. This will help to narrow your focus as to your favorite look. When it comes to furniture, there really is not a trend to what is in and what is not. It is a matter of personal style and taste. The period styles that we have become familiar with are inherent in a vast majority of the furniture that is on the market today. If there is a trend in the industry today it is more of a lifestyle than a look.

Today our lives are very busy as we juggle many schedules and wear different hats. Our homes are our havens and we want furniture that is comfortable and cozy. Here in the southwest markets, overstuffed pieces with full pillows are common. Leather pieces are often coupled with accent throw pillows. Neutral more ethereal tones with an ethnic feel are seen. You won’t see too many florals. Today’s prints are more clean. Tapestry prints on solid wood frames with a Southwest motif are also very common. Livable furniture that allows us to relax in the lifestyle of today. Gone are the pieces that were made to “look” and don’t dare touch! Even the most formal of looks have become “user friendly”. Of course placement of furniture and function of furniture are very crucial in selecting the piece or pieces that will accommodate your lifestyle. One would not use a formal piece in a game room that was aggressively used no matter how user friendly the piece is.

In terms of quality, there are definite basics that should come to mind in selecting that piece of furniture. Comfort and style should last many years and quality of materials and construction become very important.
• Furniture pieces can be custom ordered, an important option that is most overlooked. Purchasing furniture can be a major investment and the term “you get what you pay for” is oh so true.
• Tailoring-look for it! Examine furniture as you would a well put together suit. Check the seams, stitching, details and construction.
• When it comes to choosing the fabric think in terms of wear, durability and ease of care.
• High-end furniture gets it’s bounce from eight-way hand tied springs. In any construction the springs should be securely attached at the base and proportionately spaced.
• The points at which the furniture will get the most wear should be doweled, glued, screwed, and corner-blocked for strength and durability.
• Furniture frames of best quality are made of kiln-dried hardwood. It does not wobble, hobble, or talk to you.
•The frame should be well padded and smooth. Make sure that the frames are wood built and not built up with foam, paper and material.
• Luxury Pillows? Down filled of course or spring-down construction (coils wrapped in pure down). If composition consists of polyurethane foam, it’s density should be no less than 1.8 pounds per cubic foot.
• Wood Furniture. The grains will match and sturdy construction is a must. Chair seats securely attached; feet are individually adjustable and self-leveling. Finishes are hand-rubbed, especially in casework and cabinetry be it in a den, living area, dining room, kitchen or home office. Know the difference between the terms solid, veneer and finish.
• Leather furniture can last up to 4 times the life of fabric. Look for “full” grained leather which is top of the line, as opposed to a “corrected grain” leather which is simply leather that has been machine stamped with a grain.
• Metal furnishing should be solid as opposed to hollow with a baked on lacquer finish. Iron pieces should have an anti-rust finish and plastic foot guards in place. For safety reasons metal beds must be well constructed. Parts must be meticulously welded with no “drip-joints” and bolt covers over all bolts.

Armed with the above information, it is time to go shopping! Make sure that you are prepared with room dimensions including all openings and ceiling heights. Make note of electrical outlets as well. Also bring along a tape measure, pencil, pad and leave your checkbook at home until you are absolutely certain about your selections. Good luck!